Observations of SNR RX J1713.7-3946 with H.E.S.S

Journal Article · Mon Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1878414· OSTI ID:20630519

Berge, D; Funk, S; Hinton, J ^[1]; Lemoine-Goumard, M ^[2]; Naurois, M de; Rolland, L ^[3]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, P.O. Box 103980, D 69029 Heidelberg (Germany)
2. Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, IN2P3/CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, F-91128 Palaiseau (France)
3. Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire et de Hautes Energies, IN2P3/CNRS, Universites Paris VI and VII, 4 Place Jussieu, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05 (France)

The shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7-3946 (G347.3-0.5) was discovered with ROSAT in X-rays and later claimed as source of TeV {gamma}-rays. This object, together with several other southern hemisphere SNRs, is a prime target for observations with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), a new system of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes which was completed at the end of 2003 in Namibia and is now in full operation. Here we report on observations of the SNR RX J1713.7-3946 which have been performed during the construction and commissioning of the H.E.S.S. system (data originally published here). We confirm TeV emission from this source and present the first ever {gamma}-ray image of an astronomical object resolved on arc minute scales. This image shows shell morphology similar to that seen in X-rays, however at photon energies some nine orders of magnitude higher. The characteristics of the energy spectrum imply efficient acceleration of charged particles to energies beyond 100 TeV, consistent with current ideas of particle acceleration in young SNR shocks.

• OSTI ID: 20630519
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 745, Issue 1; Conference: 2. international symposium on high energy gamma-ray astronomy, Heidelberg (Germany), 26-30 Jul 2004; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1878414; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); H.E.S.S. collaboration; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACCELERATION
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHERENKOV COUNTERS
COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES
COSMIC PHOTONS
COSMIC RAY DETECTION
ENERGY SPECTRA
GAMMA ASTRONOMY
GAMMA RADIATION
IMAGES
MORPHOLOGY
PHOTON EMISSION
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
TEV RANGE
X RADIATION